The Film Daily (1921)

24 ^ukM DAILY ■ Sunday, January 2, 1921 Scenic Beauty a Feature of This Latest Blanche Sweet Picture Blanche Sweet in "THAT GIRL MONTANA" Jesse D. Hampton Prod. — Pathe DIRECTOR Robert Thornby AUTHOR Marah Ellis Ryan SCENARIO BY George H. Plympton CAMERAMAN Lucien Andriot AS A WHOLE Beautiful exterior locations its big feature; work, of players and one or two good fight scenes help STORY Sequences rather loosely put together with some situations lacking conviction; makes adequate program material DIRECTION Seems to have given main attention to locations and scenic beauty PHOTOGRAPHY Excellent LIGHTINGS Good CAMERA WORK Particularly well judged STAR Dressed as boy in opening reel; is quite pleasing SUPPORT Mahlon Hamilton's appearance a good help; others good except for Indian EXTERIORS All beautiful INTERIORS Few DETAIL All right CHARACTER OF STORY Girl forced to masquerade as boy later finds happiness with a man who had taken her from the Indians LENGTH OF PRODUCTION About 5'000 feet Blanche Sweet's latest production made by Jesse D. Hampton offers a first rate program attraction if for nothing but its scenic beauty. In fact the director's main attention seems to have been given over to the selection of locations but in this at least he has certainly been successful. Practically the entire action is in the out-of-doors and there are a continuous series of shots of mountain country that will run some of the nature scenics a close second. The story which has been adapted from the novel by Marah Ellis Ryan provides attractive roles for the principals but other than that it doesn't boast of unusual strength. It is a western of the dance hall — gold rush type with its sequences rather loosely connected, and its situations based on rather weak and unconvincing circvimstanc.es. For instance Hamilton takes the little girl from the Indians because it isn't good for her to be with them and evidently he provides for her thereafter although he has no reason for doing so except that perhaps he has fallen in love with her. But they fail to have him indicate the fact to a very great extent. The camera work and photography generally is a big thing in "That Girl Montana." And Lucien Andriot, the cameraman, deserves a goodly share of the credit for any success that the picture may attain. ATontana Rivers finally escapes from her father who had forced her to wear boy's clothing and aid him in his robbing and cheating. The girl is taken in by friendly Indians who allow her to remain in their camp until Akkomi, the chief, asks his white friend Dan Overton to take the girl away because it is not good for her to remain in the Indian camp. Dan provides for Tana and falls in love with her but because of her past life the girl keeps him at a distance. Then comes Jim Harris who recognizes Tana as the boy robber and when he attempts to blacken her past Dan gives him a beating which paralyzes him. Jim stays on with Dan who regrets his hastiness. Eventually Tana's father again appears and demands that the girl go away with him. She refuses but also hesitates to tell Dan of her trouble. In the meantime Jim has waited to avenge himself against Tana's father because long ago he had run away with his wife and baby. So when the outlaw came, Jim, whose arms were still strong, strangled the man and then told Tana that she was his daughter, the child of the wife whom the outlaw had run away with. Then the clinch between Dan and Tana. Catchlines and Stills in the Lobby Will Attract Box Office Analysis for the Exhibitor If you are looking for a satisfactory program picture With an attractive atmosphere and one that's good to look at because of its scenery, then "That Girl Montana" will fit in nicely. The story is an adequate one of its kind and the fact that some things in it aren't quite convincing perhaps won't make a great deal of difference. There is some good fight stuff that will attract and it's several good bits help cover up the bad. Play up the star's name and show some stills of her in boy's clothes. You can also use Mahlon Hamilton's name to good advantage. Should you want to make known the character of the story you could say something about the gold rush days in Montana or you can go after it from the other angle — that of a girl who was forced to dress as a boy and become a robber.